AFA IN SEARCH OF POTENTIAL SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME "CLASS OF 2006" PROSPECTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media - contact Dave Burch at AFA National Office
(877)624-4485 or (941)388-3510
(e-mail) amerfoot@aol.com (or) usafoot@aol.com
(website) www.americanfootballassn.com

The American Semi-Pro Football Association (AFA) recently defined 3 ways Semi-Pro'ers can have their names placed on the AFA Hall of Fame nominating ballot - in consideration for induction as a member of the Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Each year, for the past 25 years, the American Football Association has
selected a number of deserving individuals who have dedicated a good portion of their football careers to the semi-pro level of the game. Over the past two and a half decades the AFA has enshrined exactly 500 semi-pro football legends into 11 different categories - players (270), coaches (86), executives (66), officials (20), pioneers (19), media/historians (17), equip/trainers (8), youth football (5), international (5), women¹s football (3) and even one (1) super fan.

Here are the 3 ways a former semi-pro footballer can have their names placed on the "Class of 2006" ballot for enshrinement consideration:

A. AFA/HOF LEGENDS RECOMMENDATION:
In November of each year the American Football Association mails out the annual Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame 'prospect applications'. That
application is mailed to every active member of the AFA Hall of Fame Legends Alumni. Once the prospect applications are returned to the AFA national office, those prospects are contacted by mail and they're requested to fill out a hall of fame nomination profile form. Upon return of those profiles the AFA directs the information to the individual nominating director from the 8 respective AFA regional areas for nomination ballot consideration. That process guarantees that at least one prospective candidate from each regional area will be placed on the upcoming annual ballot and forwarded to the selection
committee.

B. AFA ALUMNI CLUB RECOMMENDATION:
AFA registered state and local team semi-pro football alumni club chapters with 100 members or more are allowed to place at least one of their members on the current years nominating ballot. Applications for state and team alumni club charters can be obtained by contacting the National AFA Alumni Club chairperson via e-mail at AFAAlumni@aol.com

C. INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATION:
As part of the AFA's membership 'Game Plan 2006' the national association is searching for qualified Hall of Fame prospects among the 700 plus semi-pro football teams playing each year in some 65 different leagues from coast-to-coast. To be considered for inclusion on the 2006 AFA/HOF ballot candidates must meet the AFA's criteria for induction (see below). If you know of someone who meets the criteria for induction and would like us to send them a HOF profile application - please send your request to AFAAlumni@aol.com. We'll need their current home mailing address and a brief explanation on why you are recommending them.

Candidates for AFA/HOF nomination consideration MUST fall into the following qualifying criteria:

- PIONEER: more than 20 years removed as someone associated with starting a league or team.
- EXECUTIVE: 10 or more years of service as an owner, general manager or commissioner.
- COACH: 10 or more years as a semi-pro football coach or had been the head coach for an AFA National Championship Team.
- PLAYER: must have been retired as an active player for 5 years or more. (Exception) someone who started out in semi-pro ball then was elevated to a professional football league.
- HISTORIAN: open to anyone who is dedicated to the collection of semi-pro football facts and records and who was involved with a team or league for 10 or more years.
- OFFICIAL: 10 or more years officiating on the semi-pro football level.
- TRAINER: 10 or more years of service to a semi-pro team.
- EQUIPMENT MANAGER: 10 years or more of service to a semi-pro team.
- MEDIA PERSONALITY: radio, TV, newsprint sports personality who has actively promoted a semi-pro team or league for a period of 10 years or more.
- INTERNATIONAL: American or foreign born American Football Rules activist promoting our sport outside the continental USA.
- WOMEN'S CATEGORY: any woman who has excelled over the years in an all female type football league as a player, coach, executive, etc. No playing time constraints required.
- SUPER FAN: anyone who has been involved with a semi-pro team or league and has proven to have been an active/dedicated promoter of a local team/league for 10 or more years.

The American Football Association enshrines, on an average, 20 different individuals a year into the Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The following are the names of those serving on the nominating and selection committees:

AFA "Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame" Nomination Committee -
Northwest: 'Moose' Ralph Fahey - Bellingham, Washington
Southwest: Bob Blechen - Temecula, California
North Central: Stan Allspach - Baxter, Iowa
South Central: Ray Powell - Arlington, Texas
Midwest: Bob Milkie - Racine, Wisconsin
Mideast: Mary Lockhart - Petersburg, Virginia
Northeast: Dick Leland - Malta, New York
Southeast: Joe Hoffman - Orlando, Florida

AFA "Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame" Selection Committee -
AFA Media: Mark Azara (pre-1980) - Danbury, Connecticut
AFA Media: Joe Hulsebus (modern day 2000 to 2006) - Kalamazoo, Michigan
AFA Media: Ron Real (1980 to present) - Sarasota, Florida

Selection Committee Advisor:
AFA Historian: Steve Brainerd - Tucson, Arizona

Happy Holidays from the American Football Association (click for Greeting Card)
http://members.aol.com/Amerfoot/merrychristmas.pdf

About the American Football Association:
The AFA is dedicated to the advancement of semi-pro/minor league football throughout the United States and serves as the National Organization for non-professional leagues and teams from coast-to-coast. For more information about the AFA, please visit their Web site: www.americanfootballassn.com.

Contact: Dave Burch, Director of Communications, American Football Association, 877-624-4485 or amerfoot@aol.com
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